2.5 Osmosis Flashcards
What happens to red blood cells when the solution surrounding has a higher water potential?
Water enters cell
Cell swells and bursts
What happens to red blood cells if the cell and solution have equal water potentials?
Water constantly enters and leaves
Cell experiences no change
What happens if the solution has lower water potential than the red blood cell?
Water leaves cell
Cell shrinks
What happens to plant cells if the solution surrounding has a higher water potential?
- Water enters cell
* Protoplasts swell and become turgid (pushed against cell wall)
What happens to plant cells when the cell and solution have equal water potential?
Water constantly enters and leaves
No change in protoplasts (begin to pull away from cell wall)
What happens to plants cells if the external solution has a lower water potential?
Water leaves cell
Plasmolysis shrinks
Protoplasts pull away from cell wall
What is water potential?
A measure of the tendency of water to move freely
What is the water potential equation?
Water potential = solute potential + pressure potential
What is the highest water potential?
0
What are the units for water potential?
kPa
What effect does adding solutes have on water potential?
It lowers the value
The more solute added…
… The more negative the value
What effect does pressure potential have on water potential?
Pressure potential increases the tendency of water to move through a membrane
Is the solute potential value positive or negative?
Negative
Is pressure potential value positive or negative?
Positive
